Why Vetting a Manufacturer Matters
Choosing a manufacturer is the single decision that affects the most things at once: cost, quality, lead time, compliance and your brand's reputation. A poor choice rarely announces itself at the start; it shows up months later, in late deliveries, inconsistent sizing, hidden costs or, in the worst cases, lost deposits. Vetting is how you find out early. It takes a few days of structured questions and checks, and it costs very little compared with a failed first order.
This guide assumes you already have a shortlist. If not, start with our guide to how to find a clothing manufacturer, and for a broader view of the decision see how to choose the right clothing manufacturer.
The Three Layers of Vetting
- Legitimacy: is this a real, registered business with a real factory?
- Capability: can it make your product, at your volume, to your quality?
- Conduct: does it treat workers, customers and the environment responsibly, and is it transparent when problems arise?
Work through the layers in order. There is no point testing quality on a supplier that fails the legitimacy check.
Layer 1: Is the Supplier Real?
Ask for, and check, the following:
- Company registration and trade licence. Ask for the registered company name and number, and check them against the relevant national register where possible.
- Factory address. Confirm it on an online map and check that it matches the documents, not a serviced office or a trading address.
- A live video tour. Ask for a real-time walkthrough of the cutting, sewing and finishing areas rather than a pre-recorded video. Ask them to show a recent order or your sample in progress.
- Trade association membership. For example, membership of a recognised exporters' association is a useful, though not conclusive, signal.
- Bank details. The account name should match the registered company. A request to pay a personal or third-party account is a serious red flag.
- Consistency. Names, addresses, email domains and phone numbers should match across the website, documents and correspondence.
Ask directly: Do you own the factory? Will any part of my order be made elsewhere? Honest suppliers will answer clearly. Our guide to Bangladesh clothing manufacturers explains the difference between factories, buying houses and trading companies.
Layer 2: Can They Make Your Product?
Product and capacity questions
- What products do you make most, and what proportion of your output is my category?
- Can you show previous work similar to mine, including photographs and customer names you can share?
- How many sewing lines and workers do you have, and what is your monthly capacity?
- How busy are you in the months I want to produce?
- What is your minimum order per style and colour, and does it change with my fabric?
Development and sampling questions
- Do you have in-house pattern makers and sample rooms?
- How long does a sample take and what does it cost? Is the cost refunded against an order?
- How many sampling rounds are included before bulk?
- Who owns the pattern and tech pack?
- Can you work from my tech pack, or do you need to redraw it?
Materials and production questions
- Do you source the fabric and trims, or do I supply them? (See CMT vs FOB.)
- What are the fabric minimums, and can I use fabrics you already stock?
- Do you do printing, embroidery and washing in house?
- What is the typical production lead time at my quantity? Compare it with our lead times guide.
Quality control questions
- What inline and final inspections do you run, and what AQL standard do you use? See our AQL inspection guide.
- Do you allow third-party inspection before shipment?
- What happens if goods fail inspection: who pays for rework and what happens to the delivery date?
- Can you supply laboratory test reports for shrinkage and colour fastness? See our garment testing guide.
Layer 3: Compliance and Conduct
- Which social compliance audits do you hold (BSCI, SMETA, WRAP, SA8000), and can I see the full report and corrective action plan? See our audit guide.
- Are you part of a recognised building, fire and electrical safety programme?
- What certifications do you hold for materials, such as OEKO-TEX, GOTS or GRS, and which sites and products do they cover?
- What are your working hours, overtime and wage policies?
- How do workers raise concerns, and is there a grievance record?
- What is your sub-contracting policy, and are sub-contractors audited?
Verify certificates rather than accepting a PDF. Check that the name and site match, that the certificate is in date and, where a public database exists, confirm the licence with the certification body.
Commercial and Payment Questions
- What is included in your quoted unit price, and what is not?
- What Incoterm do you quote, and which port or location?
- What payment terms do you require? Compare with our guide to payment terms with clothing manufacturers.
- How is the price affected if I reorder or increase quantity?
- What are your policies on late delivery, defects and cancellations?
- Do you require a written purchase order or contract?
Checks You Can Run Yourself
- Reverse-search images. Check whether the factory photographs on a website appear on other companies' sites.
- Search the company name with words such as “scam”, “review” and “complaint”.
- Check domain age. A very new domain claiming decades of experience deserves questions.
- Speak to references. Ask for two or three customers of a similar size, and ask what went wrong as well as what went right.
- Order a paid sample. It is the best test of quality, communication and honesty.
- Hire a local third party for a factory visit or audit if the order value justifies it.
Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
- Refusal of a live video tour, visit or third-party inspection.
- A price dramatically lower than every other quote, with vague specifications.
- Pressure to pay quickly or to pay everything upfront.
- Payment requests to a personal account or a different name from the company.
- Inconsistent answers about ownership, location or sub-contracting.
- No questions about your product: a good manufacturer asks about fabric, fit and use.
- Reluctance to put terms, specifications or quality standards in writing.
A Simple Scoring Matrix
When you compare several suppliers, score each from 1 to 5 against the same criteria, weighted by importance to you. Here is a starting framework:
| Criterion | Suggested weight | What a 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Legitimacy and transparency | 25% | Verified registration, live video tour, ready answers on ownership and sub-contracting |
| Product capability and samples | 25% | Relevant experience, accurate sample, quick corrections |
| Quality control and compliance | 20% | Documented QC, recent audits, test reports |
| Communication | 15% | Fast, clear, proactive, named contact |
| Commercial terms and landed cost | 15% | Clear quote, fair staged payment, sensible MOQ |
The weights are adjustable. A brand selling to retailers may weight compliance more heavily; a brand with a tight launch date may weight capacity and lead time. The point is to make the decision on evidence rather than on the lowest price.
A Short Vetting Email You Can Send
To save time, send shortlisted suppliers a single message covering the essentials: “Before we move to samples, could you confirm: (1) your registered company name and factory address; (2) whether you own the factory and whether any of our order would be sub-contracted; (3) your minimum order per style and colour; (4) your last two social compliance audit dates and the schemes; (5) your quality control process and AQL standard; (6) your standard payment terms and Incoterm; and (7) two customer references we may contact. We would also like to schedule a live video tour of the lines.” A supplier that answers these within a few days is usually a serious one, and the quality of the answers tells you more than any brochure.
Vetting Does Not End at the First Order
A good supplier can change: ownership, management, capacity and compliance all move over time. Re-check key documents each year, keep inspection reports from every order, track on-time delivery and defect rates and hold a short review after each season. If a problem arises, such as repeat lateness or a failed audit, raise it in writing and agree a corrective plan. Consistent, documented review makes it easy to reward a good supplier with more business, or to replace a poor one before it harms your brand.
Document Everything
Keep a record of every answer, certificate, sample and quote in one folder or spreadsheet. When you choose a supplier, summarise the agreed specification, price, quantity, quality standard and terms in a purchase order, and have it confirmed in writing. A clear paper trail protects you in a dispute and makes future orders much faster.
Ruhrose and Transparency
We expect to be questioned. Ruhrose shares compliance documentation, explains what is produced where and works on low minimums from 500 pieces per style and colour with clear, staged terms. Start a product enquiry and put this checklist to us.